GAO Report Offers Tweaks to Soybean Rust Approach
USDA's rapid action to develop a comprehensive framework to tackle the disease threat is commended; but going forward there are adjustments to be made.
Compiled by staff
Published: Mar 22, 2006
There is talk - partly tongue in cheek - that the government's action in light of the threat of Asian Soybean Rust was the most action ever taken before a problem arrived in the country. But the General Accountability Office issued a report Tuesday that offered up just that assessment. USDA tackled the issue by developing and implementing a framework of federal and state agencies, land grant universities and industry that effectively "focused national attention on ASR in 2005," the report says.
Requested by Sen. Tom Harken, D-Iowa, the report looked at the response to the disease and concluded it was a great start, but more is needed. For example, officials in 23 of 25 states GAO surveyed reported that the sentinel plot effort was effective. However, models to forecast ASR's spread rely on state observation of those sentinel plots and GAO found that updates to the USDA Web site ranged from four reports, in total, during the growing season in one state, to as many as 162 reports in another.
There were also inconsistencies in the designation and placement of plots and in the testing of samples for the disease. GAO also questions whether USDA's decision to shift management of the sentinel program from USDA headquarters to a land grant university will impact how the program will work in 2006.
According to the report GAO "is concerned that USDA's lack of a detailed action plan describing how program responsibilities will be assumed and managed in 2006 could limit the effectiveness of ASR management for this year."
The American Soybean Association issued a response to the report Tuesday afternoon expressing "cautious optimism about U.S. preparedness for defense against ASR as outlined" in the GAO report. "We appreciate Senator Harkin initiating this top to bottom GAO review of USDA's defenses against soybean rust in the U.S.," says Bob Metz, ASA president and a South Dakota grower. "We applaud USDA's efforts to combat the disease in 2005 and look forward to continued progress in 2006 and beyond."
ASA says it believes USDA's surveillance system was invaluable to growers in 2005 and it will work closely with the agency to build upon the successful 2005 program. The group also asks for continued, predictable funding for ASR surveillance and reporting. "ASA strongly supports the President's FY 2007 budget request to provide $2.77 million for the soybean rust surveillance program," states the ASA press response.
The group also called on the U.S. Environmental Production Agency to approve pending applications for soybean rust fungicides to answer concerns about the availability of fungicides should ASR hit the U.S. hard.
Adds Metz: "Soybean farmers remain committed to bringing rust-resistant varieties of soybeans to market as quickly as possible."
Permalink: Click here
Tagged: usda, soybean, ASA, soybean rust, soybeans
|